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Delish Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Delish Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Creamy, spicy Cajun shrimp pasta loaded with juicy shrimp, sweet peppers, and a velvety Parmesan sauce — weeknight easy, restaurant-quality.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients
 

Main Ingredients

  • 12 ounce linguine pasta
  • 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning divided
  • 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 cup red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 0.75 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Preparation Steps

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until al dente. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water, then drain.
  • Pat shrimp dry. Toss with 1.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
  • Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear shrimp 1.5 to 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
  • In the same skillet, add onion and bell pepper. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Stir in tomato paste and cook 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low. Add heavy cream and the remaining 0.5 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and cayenne. Simmer gently 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Stir in Parmesan until melted and smooth. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
  • Add shrimp and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley and cook 1 minute to heat through.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

Notes

Adjust heat by increasing or reducing cayenne. For extra richness, add an additional 0.25 cup cream. Leftovers keep up to 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water.